1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to tools for installing and assembling heating, ventilation and air conditioning system ducts, and more particularly to a tool for holding adjacent insulated duct panels or ducts in abutting relation so that such insulated duct panels or ducts may be joined together with duct tape or other fasteners.
2. Background
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems use ventilation air ducts installed throughout a building to supply conditioned air to a room through outlet vents, and ducts to remove air through return grilles. Galvanized mild steel is the standard and most common material used in fabricating ductwork. For insulation purposes, metal ducts may be lined with faced fiber glass blanket (duct liner) or wrapped externally with fiber glass blankets (duct wrap).
Traditionally, air ductwork was made of sheet metal which was installed first and then lagged with insulation as a secondary operation. Aluminium tape was applied to all seams where the external surface of the aluminium foil had been cut. Internal joints then could be sealed with sealant. The traditional ductwork installation was highly labor intensive.
More recently, duct panels already combined with exterior insulation panels or coverings have been available. Joining abutting edges of the insulated duct panels presents problems because the edges of the insulation and the underlying aluminum facer duct must be held together firmly so that appropriate aluminum tape or duct tape or other appropriate fastening means can be applied. Heretofore, one member of an installation team held the duct panels adjacent to one another while another member of the installation team applied the tape or fastening means. A tool that maintains adjacent insulated duct panels in abutting relation was not available.